Persona

by Amy Lunderman

  “But what about Doctor Peter? He said if I ever changed that I had to go back to the lab.” Her voice quivers and tears fall from her eyes.

  Touching her cheek, he says, “We just have to keep this to ourselves alright? I’ll help you control it the best way I can, and Fletcher never has to know.”

  Moira feels relieved that her father cares so much for her, that he’d lie to protect her. She just hopes that he’s right, and that she never has to see Peter again. Not that he ever hurt her. She’s just scared of his intensity. She’s seen the way her father gets when he talks about the past, and shares in his worry.

  She knows though, that her life will never be the same after this day.

  ***

  October 2028

  As Moira sits beside Marty in the cafeteria, Raven is on his other side, and Daisy and Ray are across from them. She tries to not look at Liam, but can feel him watching her again. It helps though that she’s sitting farthest from him, as he’s beside Daisy. She can feel her persona tickling her senses, but ignores that too.

  “Liam was just telling us, that he grew up on a farm in Montana. Isn’t that fascinating?” Raven gushes as she leans across the table towards him.

  “What made you move here of all places?” Ray asks him with a teasing note in his voice.

  “My mother’s job got relocated.” He says with a light twang.

  Moira reaches into her bag at her lap, for an apple and water. Leaning forward a bit, she lets her long hair fall into her eyes, so that she can peak at Liam. It makes since that he’s from the west, that explains the tan he has. Thankfully he’s not looking at her anymore, and she feels weirdly relieved.

  “What kind of job would bring somebody here?” Marty grunts.

  “Just business stuff, she’s a representative for a firm.”

  Moira can feel his voice wrapping itself around her with the aroma of warm apple pie. Shaking her head, she focuses on Marty instead. He seems upset over something, and she remembered he was missing earlier. She doesn’t want to draw attention to him though, in case he doesn’t want to talk about it. So makes a note to find him later, to make sure everything’s alright.

  “You know, Moira’s new this year too. We’re lucky to get you both.” Daisy says trying to change the subject, since Liam seems tense.

  “Really?” He addresses her. “Where are you from Mo?”

  She looks up at him, and can see him smirking at her again. She really wishes knew what his deal was, it’s starting to creep her out.

  “It’s Moira actually. And my family moved from Rhode Island.” She says icily.

  “What brings you here of all places?” He repeats Ray question.

  The way he says it, it’s like he already knows the answer, and it makes her uncomfortable for a second.

  “My dad’s work, he’s in the army.”

  “My dad was too, once upon a time. Any specialty?” He’s staring her down now, almost expecting something from her.

  Her skin tingles again, and she looks away when she says, “Not really no. Just the usual boring stuff.”

  Raven interrupts then before Liam asks anything else and shifts the conversation back to him. She and the others continue to question him about his like and dislikes. All the while, Moira doesn’t really pay attention to what they say. She’s too busy ignoring the cinnamon smell that tickles her senses. So instead, she looks around the cafeteria for Spencer. She finds him at his usual table with his friends. She notices that Quinn is still at the same table, but is now at the other end ignoring him.

  Moira finds it odd, that Quinn hasn’t given her that much of a hard time lately, especially now that Spencer broke up with her. She has the unsettling feeling that she might be gearing up for something bad, and it can’t help that she might be dating him now. All she knows though, is that she won’t her get in the way of having a perfect first date with Spencer.

  As soon as lunch is over, Moira gets away from Liam as fast as she can and the distance helps with the sensations he makes her feel. She reaches the entrance to the cafeteria when someone grabs her arm, and pulls her to a stop. Whipping around, she finds that it’s Spencer. With a smile, he grabs ahold of her hand and leads her out the door. She can feel herself blushing as they walk to chemistry together.

  They don’t say anything as they make it to the classroom and sit next to each other, but Moira can’t stop the exciting flutters she feels inside. That is until, she sees Liam walk into the room. He doesn’t look at her as he’s about to make his way to the back again, but the teacher stops him.

  “Mr. Morgan, I’d like you to work with partners today. Since everyone is already paired up, why don’t you pick whoever you’d like?” He says not looking up from his desk.

  Liam stops in front of the room, and looks around at everyone. Moira can see most of the girls giving him weird look, like they can convince him to choose them. It makes her sick. But then his eyes land on her and her persona responds again against her will. Smirking, he comes toward her table and stops right in front of it.

  “Mind of I join you, Mo?” He asks, looking right into her eyes.

  Standing in front of her, she can almost pick up on the cinnamon scent, but it’s not as strong as it was at lunch. She wonders if it’s because of the chemical aromas in the room.

  “It’s Moira, and I couldn’t really care.”

  She looks away from him. His eyes do funny things to her nerves. She could use all the control she can get, so she glances at Spencer. But he’s looking at Liam, and he doesn’t appear happy.

  “In that case, I think I might choose you for my partner.”

  “You mean us, not just her.” Spencer says.

  Not saying anything, Liam walks to the back of the room and grabs a chair and brings it over so it’s right next to her. When he sits down, Moira feels claustrophobic between the two of them. This won’t be awkward at all, she thinks to herself.

  “So, what are we working on Mo?” Liam says, as he leans around to face her.

  Sighing, Moira tries to ignore the sensation of her persona before she responds.

  “Just mixing elixirs and graphing the results. Spencer and I did most of it yesterday, so we’re almost done.”

  “Yeah, we don’t need the help. So you can just watch today, buddy.” Spencer adds.

  Liam chuckles, and it sends chills down her spine.

  “Sure whatever you say, ‘buddy’.” Liam says.

  She and Spencer start working on the assignment and tell Liam every so often what they are doing. Moira can’t help but to pick up on the tension between the two guys. The keep giving each other dirty looks, when they think she isn’t looking. But she knows they are doing it, and it makes her very uncomfortable. So much so, that she is able to completely ignore the way Liam makes her feel.

  “So Moira about tomorrow night, I’ll need your address so I can pick you up.” Spencer says after a while.

  Smiling at him, she tears a piece of paper out of her notebook, so she can write it out for him.

  “Got a date huh?” Liam asks right next to her ear.

  “Yes, we do.” Moira says, not looking at him and handing her note to Spencer.

  Liam leans around Moira and raises his eyebrows at Spencer, letting out a low whistle as he does.

  “That’s impressive. I thought you were with that blonde you were making out with yesterday.”

  Moira whips her head around to glare at Liam. Who does he think he is, lying like that? Spencer wouldn’t be making out with Quinn if they broke up. Would he?

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about dude. I’m not ‘with’ anyone else.” Spencer says, glaring at Liam.

  “Whatever you say man, it must have been someone else, my bad.”

  He turns his attention to Moira and smirks at her, before turning away. She doesn’t know what his problem is, but she wishes that he’s leave her alone. His vibes are weird enough. He doesn’t need to act weird to her too.

  �
��It was someone else. I wouldn’t mess up the chance I have with you Moira.” Spencer says, as he scoots closer to her and places his arm around her shoulder.

  Moira gives him a slight smile, but can’t stop the blush that forms as she feels his arm around her.

  “I know. I can’t wait until tomorrow, either.”

  Moira can hear Liam snort out a chuckle and he tries to hide it behind a cough. Ignoring him, she leans into Spencer and kisses him lightly on the cheek. When she leans back, the bell rings signaling the end of class and she sighs in relief. As she goes to stand up, Liam is already out of his chair and making his way out of the room as fast as he can. Moira doesn’t know what his deal is, but she has to find out what.

  ***

  September 2028

  Peter Fletcher walks around the display case in the weapons room, and tries to decide if the new tech is viable. For such a tiny vile, he knows it can be quite deadly. He’s changed it so often lately, he’s not sure if it’ll still work or not. He makes a mental note to get a test subject as soon as possible. He can’t wait to see results. Walking out of the room he starts down the hall and into his office.

  He has been so distracted this last month that his work is starting to slip, and he knows why. It’s Moira being back in town. He was very excited to learn of her return, and even more interested to know how she was doing. He finds it odd, that her father hasn’t reported any changes in her. Especially since, he knows now that most children born with the infection manifest at puberty. But not his Moira apparently, which doesn’t seem possible. Not when he gave her more doses of serum than any other trial candidate.

  He’ll soon find out the truth though, since he’ll be seeing her very soon. Her father Daniel was very helpful when his superior Dixon Hetch asked to come over for dinner tonight. Smiling at the thought of seeing Moira, he wonders if she looks anything like her mother now that she is older.

  Chapter Six

  After school, Moira steps onto the bus and is relieved to see that Marty is seated in the back behind the cage walls. He seems distracted and doesn’t even see her as she walks over and sits down beside him. He looks up at her in surprise though, and she can see how haunted his dark eyes are.

  “Is everything alright?” She asks him. Then tosses her bag on her other side.

  “You shouldn’t sit back here with me you know.” He grumbles.

  “Why not?”

  “I’m contagious you know, and it won’t make you look good.” He looks away from her now, and stares into his lap.

  “I don’t care about what anyone thinks, you should know that.” She tries to get him to look at her, be doesn’t look up.

  “Yeah well, I think your boyfriend might care about it.”

  He looks up at her now, and she sees that his eyes have gotten much darker than before. Sighing, she places a hand lightly on his arm.

  “You’re my friend Marty, if Spencer has a problem with who I hang out with, and then I don’t want to be with him. Nothing will change that, I promise.”

  “You’re too good of a person for that guy, Moira. I wish you could see it.” He tries to give her a smile, but it comes off as a frown.

  “I wish you could see that he’s not that bad of a guy either. But I appreciate the concern, I really do. It means a lot.”

  “Well he better be good to you, my control sucks, so I might have to hurt him if he isn’t.” Now he smirks at her and his eyes get lighter.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” She says in a laugh.

  Moira’s stop is first, so she promises to see Marty tomorrow as she gets off the bus. Walking down the street to her house, she feels lighter all of a sudden. For the middle of October it’s only mildly cool outside, so that Moira is only wearing a light hoody and is comfortable. The tree’s lining the street are already changed to multiple shades of red and yellow, and the air is heavy with the scent of fallen leaves. She smiles when her feet crunch on the leaves and it makes her think that this is her favorite season of all.

  For the first time, she’s actually happy that she moved here. Spencer makes her happy to go to school every day, and she looks forward to spending time with her friends. She might even call Marty her best friend, which is strange for her. She never really had any close friends, and if she did they were girls. She likes Raven, but Marty makes her feel like she can trust him with anything. She thinks it might be time to be honest with them.

  They deserve to know who she really is.

  Planning on telling them as soon as possible, she walks up her driveway and see’s that there is another car joining her father and Caroline’s. Wondering who could be here, Moira walks up to her front door and pulls it open. As soon as she is completely inside the front room, she can hear men’s voices coming from the kitchen. Knowing it’s not just a friend of her brothers. She drops her bag on the floor and slowly walks into the kitchen. What she sees makes her catch her breath, and freeze. Her father and Caroline are seated at the dining table, and Peter Fletcher and Dixon Hetch are with them.

  The two men look up at her, when she walks in and grace her with a smile. They almost look the same since she saw them over ten years ago, if not a little older. Both men have more grey hair now, and she notices that Doctor Fletcher looks a little rough around the edges. She just tries to remember to breathe, as her father stands up and walks over to her.

  “You’re home early kiddo.” Her dad stands directly in front of her and she loses sight of the other two men. “How was school?”

  Gratefully she sucks in a deep breath, and blinks up at her dad. His eyes are wide, as if he’s trying to reminder her to be calm. He’s right she knows, she doesn’t need her persona coming now. So plastering a smile on her face she steps around to greet Peter.

  “School was school. Hi Doctor Peter, how are you?” She asks as she takes a seat across from him at the table.

  “Doing much better now Moira, it’s ever so good to see you again.” He watches her as her father takes a seat next to her.

  “And you, General Hetch?” Moira asks, tearing her gaze from Peter and trying to not let her unease show.

  “Things are about as good, as can be expected. I imagine your father has told you about the bill we are trying to get out of congress.” Hetch says with a smile.

  Moira glances at her father quickly before smiling back at the General. Her father did tell her about the bill, but not that they were fighting it. Her dad wants it to go through, because that would mean she’d have rights to be free. It can’t be could that they are trying to stop it from coming out. She realizes they can’t ever know about her now. They would never let her go, if she didn’t have personal rights. But she can’t let them know it bothers her though.

  “He did, it seems like a lot of work, for something so silly.” She says nonchalantly.

  “Right you are my dear. No one wants those beasts having more power than they already are.” Peter adds.

  “I heard that there have been rebel attacks, all over because of it, is that true?” Caroline asks the men.

  “Oh yes very true. There have been more federal hunter investigators added to the police force lately. And even more out in Washington, just to keep the peace from those filthy animals.” Hetch responds with animosity.

  “Not to mention the newest spokesperson for the inter-species sector, Paula Morgan. She’s been quit the handful.” Peter adds.

  “What’s the inter-species sector?” Moira asks them.

  “They are a firm that funds the medical treatment of anyone infected and helps them with therapy. They are the backbone of the right’s bill.” Her dad tells her softly.

  “She’s been petitioning us so much, lately, that I almost prefer dealing with the hate groups than that woman.” Hetch says with a laugh, and Peter joins him.

  Moira remembers something that Liam said at lunch, about his mother being in a business firm. And isn’t his last name Morgan too? She makes a note to ask him about it sometime.

  “L
egally we have to work with them, if anything, to just appease the populace.” Her father says with a smile at the other two men.

  “Right you are son, very true.” Hetch says.

  “We should get going, but it was good catching up. I’m glad you are all settling in so well.” Peter says as he stands up and nods at them.

  Moira’s father and Caroline walk them to the door, and she trails behind after them. When Peter pulls the door open, he turns to stare at her. She’s so startled for a second, that she can feel her persona under her skin and has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep it at bay.

  “If you’d like, it would be nice to have you visit the lab. For old times’ sake and all, it would definitely be a pleasure.” He doesn’t wait for her response, just smiles and walks out the door.

  When it closes behind the men, Moira walks backwards until she bumps into the closest wall. With a shaky breath, she falls to a seated position as the world spins around her. Her stomach rolls suddenly, and she wonders if she’s going to be sick. And then her dad is in front of her gripping her cheeks, and telling her to breathe. Her vision blurs as they fill with tears, and she tries to unsuccessfully hold them back.

  “It’s alright now Moira, calm down.” Her father whispers as he pulls her in for a hug.

  She grips him tightly, and wants to believe that everything is alright, but she know it’s not. How can it be, when her worst nightmare just came true? She would have been very happy to never see Doctor Fletcher ever again. He brings up to many bad memories from her past. Her feeling of peace earlier is gone now, and she just wants to crawl inside a hole and never get out.

  That night it took her a long time to settle down to sleep. But when she finally did, her dreams turned into nightmares. Visions of tubes and needles dance behind her eyes, and she’s running down a long dark tunnel. In the back of her mind, she can feel her persona taking over while she’s asleep, but she’s too caught in the dream to wake up. Tearing noises rouse her eventually, and when she wakes up her sheets are a shredded mess around her. She lifts her hands up to her face and sees are nails are sharpened points.